By MB Jalloh
Dependable sources within the corridors of power indicate that there is an imminent “cabinet reshuffle”.
“President Julius Maada Bio is about to carry out a reshuffle, which will include ministers and other political appointees,” the sources intimated. The news of the impending bold reshuffle appears to be causing rumpus and anxiety among officials holding high positions in Government.
State House sources say that the uneasiness tends to be induced by the fact that President Bio has suddenly built an impenetrable wall around himself, thereby throwing His Excellency into incommunicado.
“The complaint is that the President has been lately rejecting calls, messages, and is even refusing to accept gifts from some ministers and senior government functionaries,” sources disclosed. Undoubtedly, this unusual behavior of the President has sent tremors to the nerves of many of his ministers and political appointees.
President Bio is reported to be profoundly dismayed and disappointed by the poor performance of some of his appointees, contrary to their much touted qualifications and expertise to effectively and efficiently run the affairs of their ministries or departments.
Political analysts say that most of these officials have grossly under-performed, to the utter disappointment and dismay of not only the Head of State, but also the masses, who have borne the brunt of the gross failures of these underperforming ministers and political appointees.
For the critics, the poor performance should not be a surprise, as most of his appointees are believed to have bagged their jobs based on nepotism and favoritism rather than on merit and expertise.
As a result of the appalling reality with regards to the disappointing performance of some of the ministers and political appointees; coupled with the President’s pending reshuffle, the political appointees in question are reported to be suddenly feeling vulnerable and becoming desperate.
“Many are rumoured to be flooding Sierra Leone with “MURRAYMAN DEM” from neighboring countries , who, they believe, could help them retain their positions”, a source alleged.
The reason for such desperation is not far-fetched, a notable Sierra Leonean based in Maryland in the United States of America says. He added that a good number of such political appointees, were ‘mere mortals’ barely getting a decent living in the diaspora.
“But with their new found power and thrust into the national treasury, they have been eating with both hands, taking high -end mortgages, which they are still servicing. Therefore, a sudden eviction from the political ‘gravy train’ is certainly enough cause for concern and worry about how they would be able to pay their mortgages and other bills here in America and Europe”.
The fear that their sources of income would dry up soon, thereby leaving some of them without any sources of income, is enough reason for even the fervent Christian and committed Muslim to resort to “Murray men and Juju men”, he concluded.
Sierra Leoneans have always advocated for leaders to bring in technocrats and professionals with proven records, away from any political or regional affiliations.
Bio loyalists, who want to see him succeed in his second and final term, believe that it’s better late than never. They are of the view that, if President Bio wants to leave a legacy which he would be positively remembered for, or wishes to make any tangible economic changes, which would somehow improve the livelihood of the people, he should be outward looking in terms of his choice of appointments.
Thus, instead of appointing his cronies, as he has been mostly doing since he came to power, he should, this time around, prioritize the interest of the country and the general welfare of the nation by placing the right people in the right places